Concrete-block machine.



J. T. SMITH. CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 19H.

Patented July 10, 1917 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 Ti. 60 a d 2523 W J. T. SMITH.

CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1917.

1 ,232,988 Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN T. SMITH, OF MOUNT AIRY, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SMITH CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE COMPANY, OF MOUNT AIRY, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

CONCRETE-BLOCK MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Mount Airy, in the county of Carroll, inthe State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ConcreteBlock Machines, whereof the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for making concrete blocks for gutters, ditches, drains, runways, troughs, posts, piers, sills, sewers, walls and various other uses.

The object of the invention is to provide a light, portable, cheap, simple and effective device of this character which can be put into extensive general use at the places Where concrete work is needed, without the employment of skilled labor and without the expense, trouble, faults and delays incident to the use of wood forms.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a plan of a concrete block machine embodying one form of this invention, showing the movable mold plates in open position, parts being broken out to facilitate illustration, this form being adapted for use in making the reversible concrete gutter and drain block described in my Patent No. 1,176,611 dated March 21, 1916.

Fig. 2 represents an end elevation thereof, parts being broken out for illustrative convenience.

Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of one of the removable mold plates of the machine.

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a removable core plate thereof.

Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of an intermediate duplex removable mold plate thereof.

Fig. 6 represents on a larger scale a portion of the mold-plate closing mechanism in closed position.

Fig. 7 represents a plan of another embodiment of the machine adapted for molding square or rectangular blocks.

Fig. 8 represents a plan view partly in section of another form of actuating mechanism for the movable mold-plates.

The same reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a rectangular mold frame 10 preferably constructed of sheet steel and comprising side plates 11 and 12 and end plates 13 and 14. The side plate 11 is hinged to one end of the end plate 13 and the side plate 12 is hinged to the opposite end of the same plate. A catch 15 preferably in the form of a double latch, connects one end of the end plate 14. with the side plate 11 and holds the frame in closed position. This frame is preferably open at bottom and top and is designed to be set on a flat surface of any sort. The side plate 11 is provided in its upper edge with recesses 00 and b and the side plate 12 is provided in its upper edge with corresponding recesses 0 and d.

Two movable mold plates and are disposed within the frame 10 at opposite sides thereof. The mold plate 20 is provided with adjacent mold surfaces 21 and 22 disposed on one side of its center and with mold surfaces 23 and 24L disposed on the other side of its center. These mold surfaces may be provided with designs 25,.

between the mold surfaces 23 and 24: and

with a recess 28 at the inner side of the mold surface 23. These recesses constitute vertical guides for mold plates hereinafter described. A central space 29 is left blank between the recesses 28 and 28. y The plate '20 is provided on its outer face, preferably opposite the mold surface 21, with four rectangular loops disposed in pairs, the loops of' one pair being respectively near the upper and lower ed es of said plate and opposite the mold surface 24 and the loops of the other pair being respectively near the upper and lower edges of said plate near the other end thereof.

The mold plate 30 is of similar construction to the moldplate 20, having mold surfaces-31, 32, 33 and 34 opposite the mold surfaces 21, 22,23 and 24 of the plate 20 and recesses 36, 37, 38, 36, 37 and 38 corresponding with the recesses of the plates 20 and disposed opposite said recesses. This plate has four rectangular loops also designated by thereference character 35 and disposed in pairs, the loops of one pair being one above the other near one end and the loops of the other pair being one above the other near the opposite end.

- Brackets 40, four in number all bearing like reference characters, are attached to the side plate 11, being in pairs near eachend thereof. The brackets of one pair project inward over and under respectivelythe upper and lower loops 35 near one end of the mold plate 20, the upper bracket of said pair passing through the recess a in the side plate 11, and the brackets of the other pair project inward over and under respectively the loops 35 at the other end of the the mold plate 20, the upper bracket of said last named pair passing through the recess 5 in the side plate 11. The side plate 12 is likewise provided with four brackets also bearing the reference character disposed in pairs one above the other in corresponding relation to the brackets of the plate 11. Each of these brackets is provided with shaft bearings. 'A shaft is journaled in the bearings of each pair of these brackets 10. Each of said shafts 50 is provided with cams 51 and 52 and with a squared or angularupper end 53. These cams are disposed ,on the-shaft in positions to engage a pair of loops 35 of the mold plate 20 or 30. Cranks 55] are disposed on the squared ends of the shafts 50 and extend outward therefrom through the notches a and?) in the edge of the side wall or plate 11 and through the correspondingnotches 0 and d of the side wall of plate 12. e

A pitman connects the outer ends of the two cranks 55 at each side of the frame 10.

This pitman is provided at its center with a slot 61 and preferably with antifriction rollers 62 and 63at opposite ends of said slot. An angular foot lever is fulcrumed outside the frame at each side. thereof on a pivot 71. This lever comprises an are- I Which said pitman is connected and swings the cams thereof simultaneously into engagement with the mold plate 20, whereby the latter is pressed inward. When the treadle arm 73 of the lever 70 is lifted, the are- "shaped arm 72 thereof is moved downward and shifts the pitman 60 toward the right, whereby the shafts 50 with which said pitman is connected, are, turned in the opposite direction and the cams 51 and 52 thereof are swung into engagement with the several loops 35 of the mold plate 20 and the latter is thereby pulled outward or withdrawn sufficiently to designate the mold surfaces thereof from the material molded. This mechanism is duplicated on the opposite side of the frame 10 in connection with the side plate 12 and mold plate 30 and the parts thereof are designated by the same reference numbers respectively and operate in the same manner as the parts just above described.

The frame 10 is adapted for making at one time four of the gutter or drain blocks described in my patent aforesaid. Two single arched mold plates and 90 are disposed at opposite ends of the frame 10. A duplex intermediate mold plate 100 is disposed at the center of the frame and two core plates 110 and 120 are disposed between said duplex plate 100 and the end plate 80 and a similar core plate 120 is disposed between said end plate 90 and said duplex mold plate 100.

The end mold plate 80 has a straight central portion 81, outwardly flaring portions 82 and 83 at opposite ends thereof, lateral portions 84 and 85 and straight end portions 86 and 87, said straight end portions engaging respectively the recesses 26 and 36 of the opposite movable mold plates 20 and 30. The end mold plate 90 is of like construction to the plate 80 and engages at its opposite ends the recesses 26 and 36 of said movable mold plates 20 and 30.

The duplex intermediate mold plate has on its opposite sides straight molding faces 101 and 101, flaring molding faces 102 and 102 at one end thereof, and flaring molding faces 103 and 103 at the other end thereof. Lateral portions 104 and 1011' project from the outer ends of said first named flaring portions and lateral portions 105 and 105 project from the outer ends of said last named flaring portions. Straight portions 106 and 106 extend outward from the first named lateral portions and engage the recesses 28 and 28 of the movable mold plate 20 and straight portions 107 and 107 X- tend outward from the last named lateral portions and engage the recesses 38 and 38 of the movable mold plate 30. This duplex intermediate mold plate may be provided at its forked ends with transverse rods 10S and 109 adapted to serve as handles for withdrawing said plate from the frame, as shown in Fig. 5.

The duplex core plate 110 comprises two parallel sides 111 and 112 disposed apart from each other, converging ends 113 and 114 at adjacent ends of said sides, converging ends 115 and 116 at the opposite ends of said parallel sides, and straight webs 117 and 118 extending outward from the meetbetween the parallel sides 111 and 112 and serve as a handle for lifting the duplex core plate into and out of the frame 10. The duplex core plate 120 corresponds in construction to said plate 110 and need not be described in detail. The opposite ends thereof engage respectively the wider recesses Q7 and 87 of said movable mold plates 20 and 30.

In the use of this concrete block machine, the frame 10 is disposed on a level base, closed and fastened. The mold plates 20 and 30 are then placed in position within the frame at opposite sides thereof, the loops being engaged by the several cams of the shafts 50 in positions which they assume when said plates are in inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 1. Then the end plates 80 and 90, the intermediate duplex mold plate 100 and the core plates 110 and 120 are disposed transversely in the frame with their opposite ends just entering the recesses in said plates. Then the spaces between the end mold plate 80 and one side of the core plate 110, between the other side of the core plate 110 and one sideof the duplex intermediate mold plate 100, between the other side of the intermediate mold plate 100 and the core plate 120, and between the other side of the core plate 120 and the end mold plate 90, are filled with cement concrete material of any known or suitable composition for the purpose. Then a scraper is run over the top of the frame 10 to level the cement concrete in the molds. All the mechanism hereinbefore described attached to said frame is disposed below the top thereof to enable this leveling operation to take place. Then the pedals 74: are depressed and the mold plates 20 and 30 are thereby moved inward into the positions indicated in Fig. 6, and the mold faces of said plates press the ends of the plastic forms and when said mold faces contain letters, figures or designs, impressions are made on the ends of said plastic forms. In this way the date of patent or other desired matter may be impressed on the blocks. The so molded blocks are allowed to set for the usual. time for hardening. Then the levers 7 the same frame 10 is adapted for use in making square blocks. In this case the angular plates 80 and 90, 100 and 110 are omitted and two supplemental mold plates 150 and 160 are placed within the frame inside and adjacent to the movable mold plates 20 and 30. These plates 150 and 160 are provided respectively with central recesses or vertical guides 151 and 161 and a transverse mold plate 170 extends cross-wise of the frame and its ends engage said guides. The frame is filled with plastic material be tween the supplemental mold plates 150 and 160 and on opposite sides of the transverse mold plate 170. After the filling and scrap ing the levers are depressed whereby the plates 20 and move inward and push the supplemental mold plates 150 and 160 into contact with the plastic material being molded and press it closely into form. After the material is set, the levers 70 are lifted whereby the plates 20 and 30 are moved outward and the supplemental plates 150 and 160 can then be easily pulled out. The frame is then opened, taken away from the blocks and is ready for further use. The blocks remaining where molded to cure sufficiently to pile.

In Fig. 8 a substitute mechanism for the levers and cams is shown. This figure shows a worm socket 200 attached to one of the mold plates as 30. A worm shaft 210 projects through one of the side plates as 12 of the frame and is supported in a bearing 211 attached to said wide plate. This worm shaft is provided at its inner end with 'a side in lieu of the mechanism for this purpose hereinbefore described.

This apparatus will be found useful for farmers, country and suburban residents, contractors, road builders and other concrete workers and ultimate consumers.

I claim as my invention:

, 1. A concrete block machine comprising a frame provided with inwardly projecting brackets disposed in pairs one above the other, movable mold plates oppositely disposed in said frame and provided on their outer faces with loops projecting between the upper and lower brackets, shafts journaled in said brackets, passing through said loops and provided with cams within said loops, and means for turning said shafts in one direction to cause said cams to press said mold plates and in the other direction to cause said cams to engage said loops to withdraw said mold plates.

2. A concrete block machine comprising a frame provided with inwardly projecting brackets disposed in pairs one above the other, movable mold plates oppositely disposed in said frame and provided on their A outer faces with loops projecting between the upper and lower brackets, shafts journaled in said brackets, passing through said loops and provided with cams within said loops, cranks onsaid shafts, a pitman con- 'necting said cranks, and means for shifting said pitman to oscillate said cams to press or withdraw said movable mold plates.

3. A, concrete block machine comprising a frame provided with inwardly projecting brackets disposed in pairs one above the other, movable mold plates oppositely disposed in said frame and provided on their outer faces with loops projecting between the upper and lower brackets, shafts journaled in said brackets, passing through said loops and provided with cams within said loops, crankson said shafts, a pitman con necting said cranks and provided with a slot, and an angular lever pivoted on said frame and provided with an arc-shaped arm engaging said slot to shift said pitmanfor oscillating said shafts to press or withdraw said movable mold plates.

4:. A concrete block machine comprising a frame, movable mold plates oppositely disposed in said frame and each provided with two vertical guides and with an intermediate vertical guide, angular mold plates disposed betweensaid movable mold plates and having their opposite ends engaging said guides of the respective movable mold plates, a duplex angular core plate disposed between said last named mold plates and having its opposite ends engaging said intermediate vertical guides, and means for moving said movable mold plates toward each other on the ends of said intermediate mold plates and pressing the molding surfaces of said movable plates into contact with the plastic material between said intermediate plates.

5. A concrete block machine comprising a frame, movable mold plates oppositely disposed in said frame and provided with vertical guides, angular end mold plates disposed in said frame and engaging said vertical guides, a duplex intermediate angular 'mold plate having forked ends engaging said guides, angular core plates disposed between said duplex intermediate mold plate and said end mold plates and having their opposite ends engaging said vertical guides, and means for moving said movable mold plates toward each other on the ends of said angular mold plates and pressing the molding surfaces of said movable plates into contact with the plastic material between Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

